UVB-Induced Activation of PARP-1 in Cultured Human Lens Epithelial Cells

According to the World Health Organization, cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Photo-oxidation by ultraviolet (UV) light has been linked to cataract development with evidence suggesting that UVB irradiation may cause cortical (the periphery of the lens) and posterior subcapsular (the back of the lens) cataract by damaging DNA within lens epithelial cells. Therefore we irradiated cultured human lens epithelial cells with UVB light and investigated the effects of the radiation on a DNA repair enzyme (PARP-1) located in the cell nucleus. We found that after cells were treated with UVB light and allowed to re-incubate at 37°C, PARP-1 activation increased within the nucleus of the cells. We conclude that PARP-1 may play a role in protecting human lens epithelial cells from UVB-induced DNA damage.